Provincial House

PROVINCIAL HOUSE, KARNATAKA

The genesis of the Province of Karnataka must be traced way back to 1870 which saw the beginnings of the Apostolic Carmel in India. In fact the historical roots of its existence are inextricably woven with those of the Congregation itself. It was only after a century almost that the Congregation which saw vigorous growth in India and Ceylon (Sri Lanka), five Regions were established by Mother Theodosia in 1965 with four for the houses in India and the fifth for the houses in Ceylon. Shortly thereafter in 1971 five Pro-Provinces were erected “ad experimentum”. The newly constituted Pro-Provinces were not identical with the geographic boundaries of the Regions and there was a re-grouping of convents. The Mysore Pro-Province comprised all the convents in the State of Mysore with the house opened at Pavur in the North Cannanore district of Kerala.

January 24th, 1974 ushered in a new era in the Government of the Institute during the tenure of Mother Carmelita. The newly erected Provinces emerged as a substantial unity with rich diversity. The erstwhile Mysore Pro-Province was re-named Karnataka as the State had changed its name for historical reasons in 1972. The Karnataka Province was now “old” and “new” as among its 28 houses were some of the earliest foundations: St. Ann’s the Mother House hallowed by the memory of Mother Veronica, Foundress and the First Superior General, Mother Marie Des Anges; St. Agnes Convent, the first foundation of Mother Aloysia,St. Cecily’s Convent, Stella Maris Convent and Annunciation Convent, Ladyhill, the first houses of the Institute.

At present there are 29 Convents, fifteen are in the Diocese of Mangaluru, four in Udupi Diocese, one in the Archdiocese of Bengaluru, two in Mysuru Diocese, one in Karwar Diocese, two in Gulbarga Diocese, one in Shimoga Diocese, one in Belgaum and two in the Diocese of Bellary.

The Province has the joy of the development in its Mission of Education from the handful of seeds sown by the Pioneers with initially small but fervent zeal. It has St. Ann’s College of Education and St. Ann’s Teachers’ Training Institute and Carmel D.Ed. College to form dedicated teachers, St. Agnes College (Post Graduate and Under Graduate) and Carmel College. There are seven P.U. Colleges, nineteen High Schools, twenty two Primary Schools along with Kindergarten and Play Schools, Balwadis and Anganwadis. There are five Central Schools offering CBSE/ICSE scheme of syllabus.

Though the main Apostolate of the Province is education, the Province has ventured into other mission areas. As a Centenary Memorial, St. Agnes Special School was established in 1971 in Mngaluru. It has started courses in B.Ed., D.Ed. and PG Diploma in Special Education. There is also a Vocational Centre established to provide trade for the mentally challenged adults.

The new mission at Bailhongal, caters to the mentally challenged and persons with disabilities through the Special School and the CBR programme. Four of our sisters serve in a Special School Anugraha run by the Diocese of Bellary and one at Veronica Vihar, Mangaluru a residence for the adult mentally challenged persons.

Drug addicts, Alcoholics and AIDS victims are also catered to mainly in Bidar, Gulbarga and Bailhongal with a sister doctor assisting them. Empowering of women is another aspect which has resulted in creation of more than 80 Self Help Groups. The mission at Lingsugur was started to make Christian presence felt there. The Missions of Bidar and Jyothi Nivas are directed towards the development of the poor and disadvantaged. The sisters at Jyothi Nivas, Jyothinagar mainly look after the labourers’ children. In 2006, the Technical Institutes of Vijaymari and Bidar started Community Colleges where courses are designed through linkages with industries and the students after completing the respective courses are absorbed immediately through campus recruitment.

There are seven Hostels, five Boarding Houses and seven Homes for Children where sisters see to the welfare of the students and children making it a home away from home. Four sisters work as nurses, two in Fr. Muller Charitable Institution and two in Italy.

The latest venture of the Province was in September 2014 when three sisters were sent to Genova to work in the Assarotti Institute Kindergarten and Elementary Schools run by the Piarist Fathers.

The sisters of the Province also work in Schools under the Apostolic Carmel Generalate Management, Bengaluru and the Diocesan Board Management in Haliyal, Ganguli, Pezar, Bidar, Shivamogga, Pavur and Kundapura.

Contact Details:
A.C. Provincial House
St. Ann’s Convent
Mangaluru – 575 001
Karnataka
Ph. No: 0824 – 2425286
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Provincial Superiors